ENGLAND'S cricketers have been given until noon on Friday to make themselves available for the tour of India.

Although the England and Wales Cricket Board have not called it a deadline, they will want to know sooner rather than later if replacements have to be named for the three-Test trip.

ECB chief executive Tim Lamb was also at pains after a meeting near Lord's today to stress there will be nothing held against any tourist wishing to stay at home.

Captain Nasser Hussain met with ECB officials and British High Commissioner in New Delhi Sir Rob Young, after the tour came under a safety spotlight following the military action in Afghanistan.

The gathering, at a hotel opposite Lord's, lasted two hours - and it was agreed by the players that their decisions will be made known individually to England representative and Professional Cricketers' Association managing director Richard Bevan by midday on Friday.

That should give ample time for those players with any doubts about departing on November 13 to make up their minds. Some players have publicly stated their concerns about touring.

Bevan said: "They'll go back; they'll have a security discussion with their families and come back and say 'Yes, we are happy to tour' or 'No, we are not'."

"You may well end up with two or three guys not wanting to tour," he admitted.

"It's the first time I've met the High Commissioner and I thought what he had to say was good. But it is an individual decision.

"On Friday we'll have a much better position of where to go. Everybody in the room discussed their opinion and views.

"My role as the players' representative is to try and get them the best advice possible."

There has been no move to switch any of the Tests to different venues, with two of the three being played in Mohali and Ahmedabad in the north of the country.

A decision not to tour would have adverse financial implications for the ECB, and Lamb added: "Cricket is our business, and we need to carry on a business like any company needs to trade.

"But I would like to emphasise that the safety and security of our players are uppermost in our minds as the overriding criteria.

"We have been told by the Foreign Office that the venues we are playing at are among the safest venues that could be chosen for a variety of reasons. Should that situation change then clearly we will take it up with the Board of Control for Cricket in India."

ECB chairman Lord MacLaurin added it is almost certain a security officer from an Indian-based firm will accompany the England squad throughout the tour.